Chapter 8: Purchasing a Little Maidservant

The sun was setting.

Luo Zijun clutched his backside as he walked home. Fortunately, his elder sister was busy cooking in the kitchen and didn't notice; otherwise, she might have suspected he had been "taken advantage of." There were still bloodstains on his trousers.

That senior sister of his was truly ruthless!

Luo Zijun hurried to his room to change his pants, then went to the well to wash the soiled ones. His brother-in-law, Li Zhengshan, happened to return just then. Seeing him washing his trousers, he asked in surprise, "Zijun, what are you doing? Why not just leave your clothes for your sister to handle? Why wash them yourself? Have you become a stranger now that you’ve passed the scholar examination?"

"It’s nothing, just a pair of pants."

Hearing their voices, Luo Jiaorong emerged from the kitchen. She was about to speak but, upon catching sight of the trousers in his hands, she faltered. Seeming to realize something, she immediately retreated back into the kitchen.

When Li Zhengshan entered the kitchen, she whispered hurriedly, "We need to buy a maid for Zijun."

Li Zhengshan was taken aback. "Why do you say that?"

Luo Jiaorong glanced outside and lowered her voice. "Zijun is no longer a child, and since he has to study for his exams, he certainly won’t be able to marry anytime soon. Buying a maid would allow someone to look after his daily life—helping him organize his books, grinding ink, pouring tea, and warming his bed and feet when it’s cold at night. Now that he’s grown, it’s no longer convenient for me to look after him."

Li Zhengshan immediately understood and couldn't help but laugh. "I see what you mean. You suspect that those stains on his trousers earlier..."

"Don't say it!" Luo Jiaorong quickly interrupted him.

At that moment, Luo Zijun walked over and said from the doorway, "Brother-in-law, I’ve practiced the Ancestor’s Long Fist until I’m proficient. Didn't you say there was some internal energy cultivation method? Can you teach it to me now?"

Li Zhengshan laughed as he walked out. "You’ve mastered it already after only a few days? Show me once first."

Luo Zijun said nothing more; he immediately took his stance and began to perform. Every move and posture carried considerable momentum.

A look of astonishment appeared on Li Zhengshan’s face. After Zijun finished, he exclaimed in pleasant surprise, "Zijun, I didn't realize you were a martial arts genius!" He then sighed, "What a pity. If you had started training from childhood, your level would surely be far higher than mine by now."

Luo Jiaorong poked her head out from the kitchen with some vegetables in hand. "Zijun has to study for his exams and will be attending the academy later. Will practicing martial arts have an impact?"

Li Zhengshan pondered for a moment and said, "Zijun, your sister is right. Since you have chosen the path of a scholar, you might have to give up on martial arts."

Luo Zijun replied, "I don't have grand ambitions; I just want to practice a little to strengthen my body." Since he did not yet know how to cultivate literary power, he had to rely on martial arts to increase his self-defense capabilities.

Li Zhengshan nodded. "If that’s the case, then I will teach you an internal energy cultivation method today. Practicing it when you have free time will indeed strengthen your body. However, this method is not so simple; without talent, even entering the threshold can be difficult. Let's go to the backyard."

Luo Zijun immediately followed him to the backyard. Luo Jiaorong watched them leave, pondered the matter of the maid once more, and then returned to her cooking.

After dinner, Luo Zijun went to his room to study. Later, when Luo Jiaorong and Li Zhengshan returned to their own room, they discussed the matter in low voices.

"Zijun's room doesn't have an outer chamber. If we buy a maid, she will certainly have to share his bed. The boy is at a hot-blooded age; won't he become obsessed and neglect his studies?"

"What are you saying! Which household doesn't have a maid? Zijun is a scholar now; it wouldn't be right for him not to have a personal attendant. As for your concerns, I think it’s better to guide rather than block, lest he become too pent up and go fooling around in brothels with those other scholars."

"You have a point, my dear. If he goes to a brothel and catches a disease, that would be truly troublesome. Let’s buy one, then. In this day and age, buying a maid doesn't cost much. Let's find one who is clever."

"I'll handle this; I must find someone with a clean background. Alright, let's sleep."

"Um, my dear, I’m feeling a bit pent up myself..."

***

Inside the room, the lamp was extinguished.

Luo Zijun returned to his bed and began to breathe and meditate according to the internal energy method his brother-in-law had taught him. Soon, his abdomen began to feel warm. It felt as if a ball of fire was slowly rising within his belly. At the same time, he could clearly sense a unique energy in the world being drawn into his body, slowly circulating within him.

Is this the sensation of 'Qi'?

When his brother-in-law taught him the method, he had said that some people might never capture this sensation in their entire lives, and even those with high talent would need at least half a month to a month. Being able to feel it so quickly must be due to his special constitution. He didn't know the exact nature of this constitution, but the Master of the Moon Palace had told him that in this world, besides the *Mind-Reading* supernatural ability, he would also possess a special physique. This must be it.

Soon, he entered a hazy, selfless state. Unknowingly, it became the third watch of the night. When he awoke, he felt pleasantly warm throughout his body, his mind refreshed and completely devoid of sleepiness.

*Don't rush; let the body adapt first.*

He didn't continue the practice, choosing instead to lie down, ponder some matters, and close his eyes.

The next day, the sun was bright. When he arrived at the pharmacy, Su Qingling was lying behind the counter, lost in thought. When she saw him, she ignored him.

Luo Zijun said deliberately, "Senior sister, you ruined my reputation. When I went home clutching my backside last night, my pants were red. The neighbors saw it and are gossiping behind my back, saying I was 'taken advantage of'."

Su Qingling finally couldn't hold back and burst into laughter. "Serves you right!"

When this girl laughed, her eyes were bright and her teeth white; she looked stunningly beautiful, like flowers blooming as the ice melted. She was truly lovely. Seeing that she wasn't taking yesterday's incident to heart, Luo Zijun mumbled something and went inside.

In the inner room, Su Dafang was taking the pulse of a patient. A moment later, he walked out with a middle-aged man. "It’s nothing serious, just a minor ailment. I’ll write you a prescription; you’ll be fine after taking the medicine for a few days."

Luo Zijun immediately ground the ink to prepare the prescription. Some patients came for diagnosis but didn't necessarily buy medicine there. To avoid awkwardness, if the patient didn't bring it up, they would simply write the prescription and hand it over.

"I'll just buy the medicine here," the middle-aged man said.

Luo Zijun put down his brush and went behind the counter to gather the herbs. As Su Dafang called out each ingredient, he measured them out, wrapped them up, and told the man, "That will be fifty copper coins in total."

The middle-aged man nodded and fished a small piece of silver from his robes, placing it on the counter. Su Qingling picked up the silver, weighed it on the scale, and prepared to use the abacus to calculate the change.

Luo Zijun glanced at it and whispered, "It’s worth one hundred and twenty coins; just give him seventy back."

Su Qingling looked at him, hesitated for a moment, then opened the cash box and carefully counted out seventy coins to hand to the man. Luo Zijun handed over the medicine. The man thanked them and left the shop.

"Are you sure you didn't miscalculate?" Su Qingling asked with a frown after the customer had left. Such a complex sum, and he calculated it instantly without the abacus?

Luo Zijun replied, "Of course I didn't."

Su Qingling didn't believe him. She immediately began clicking the abacus, and when she reached the second calculation, she grabbed his hand and placed it on the counter, counting on her fingers. After calculating it three times and realizing he was indeed correct, she fell silent.

Su Dafang, watching from the side, smiled. "Zijun, with your talent for arithmetic, it’s a pity you aren't a shopkeeper."

Luo Zijun said, "Master, I told you I could handle the accounts and the money, but senior sister wouldn't let me."

Su Qingling huffed, "You don't have the surname Su. What if you steal my money?"

Su Dafang joked, "Zijun, why don't you change your surname to match ours? When I pass on, this pharmacy and all the... *ahem*, medicine money and such, will be yours. How about that?"

Luo Zijun replied, "I don't mind, but I’m afraid senior sister will think I’ve stolen her inheritance and try to strangle me."

Su Dafang laughed heartily and went to the corner to wash his hands. Su Qingling sniffed, clicked her abacus, and ignored him.

Seeing there was nothing to do, Luo Zijun went to the back to continue reading. At midday, Su Dafang went out alone with his medicine chest. When Luo Zijun offered to follow, he waved his hand. "Study hard in the shop. Strive to get into the academy next month to bring honor to your sister." Then, he added sternly, "You two behave while watching the shop. Don't fight again. Men and women should keep their distance—pinching each other, what kind of behavior is that? And pinching the backside, how shameless!"

After he left, Su Qingling snorted and provoked him, "I filed my fingernails to be even sharper when I went home yesterday. Do you want to try them?"

Luo Zijun was not to be outdone. "Senior sister, although my fingernails aren't as sharp as yours, my fingers are more flexible. If I accidentally slip them into your skirt later, don't blame me."

Su Qingling stared at him coldly. "You think I wouldn't dare reach into your pants?"

Luo Zijun’s mouth twitched. "Naturally, you would dare, but at most, it would be a mutual destruction. So, I advise you, senior sister, to keep the peace and stop the physical attacks."

Su Qingling narrowed her eyes. "And if I use my feet instead? Do you like that?"

Luo Zijun lowered his head to his book and ignored her.

The morning sunlight filtered through the window lattice, bringing the radiance and warmth of spring. The two of them sat there—one reading, one clicking the abacus—without another word.

Returning home that evening, Luo Zijun practiced his fist forms in the backyard for a while. After dinner, he returned to his room and began once again to cultivate the internal energy method.

This time, the flow of energy within his body was even smoother. At the same time, a faint glimmer of light seemed to appear at the Dantian in his abdomen. As he inhaled and exhaled, the light flickered, growing stronger and dimmer in rhythm.

After three consecutive nights of cultivation, that point of light began to grow. From being initially blurry, it became the size of a mung bean, and the rhythm of its pulsing grew increasingly vigorous.

At this moment, Luo Zijun felt his body brimming with strength. Could this be the internal energy his brother-in-law spoke of? But he had only been practicing for three days.

"The literary gathering is tomorrow night; I should be able to see Xu Xian. I wonder what that fellow looks like, and if he’s as handsome as me..."